SMELL is not often a sense we associate with wildlife watching, unlike sight, through binoculars, touch, through the fingers, and even taste.

But in April there is one woodland flower that is easily smelt before you see it — ramsons.

This pungent-smelling plant is also known as wild garlic.

It is associated with ancient woodlands and can be found covering whole areas of the forest floor.

Its leaves are dark green, long and have pointed tips.

Perched atop tall stems in the middle of the plant are the flowers, which from a distance look like a small firework of white. The petals of each flower are long and pointed.

Growing in the shade of larger trees, ramsons usually flowers before the trees have grown all their leaves. This ensures they get enough sunlight and also attract plenty of pollinators.

The plant itself grows from a bulb, just as bluebells and daffodils do and for most of the year is hidden from view.

When we use garlic in cooking, it’s this bulb that we use. However, in its wild counterpart, the bulbs are much smaller so it is the leaves of this plant that are used in cooking.

The taste is very similar to that of normal garlic and it goes well with salads and side dishes. However, it’s always important that we don’t collect too much from natural resources.

We should always collect responsibly to ensure there is a constant supply of wild foods both for us and the creatures that rely on them.

It’s also worth pointing out that, as with many edible species, there are some very similar looking species to Ramsons that are poisonous.

Lily of the Valley is a good example of this, so always make sure you know what you’re eating before you eat it.